‘Stolen Kingdom’ director relishes deep dive into Disney underworld

‘Stolen Kingdom’ director relishes deep dive into Disney underworld

As a child growing up in Tampa, Joshua Bailey was just outside the shadow of Walt Disney World. But that didn’t stop him from falling for the magic. “It was very enticing from a young age,” he says. “I’ve always been a theme-park aficionado.” But as an adult, he learned that even pixie dust can have a dark side. The result is his documentary “Stolen Kingdom,” which will open the annual Florida Film Festival on Friday night. Bailey will attend an…

Florida Film Festival 2025: Stolen Kingdom – Theft and Urban Exploration at the Theme Park

There is a whole subculture fascinated with the concept of abandoned amusement parks. It’s easy to see why: it channels so many alluring ideas at once. Manufactured joy and eerie nostalgia are in abundant supply when sifting through the wreckage of saccharine old theme park rides and locations. This very corporate appeal towards outward public affection, now buried in the debris of time, is more appealing when left in disuse, than when it was al…